"Truly, it is the indescribable sweetness of contemplation which you give to those who love you. In this you have shown the tenderness of your charity, that when I had no being you made me; and when I strayed away from you, you brought me back again to serve you and commanded me to love you." The Imitation of Christ
Saturday, 4 July 2009
More For The Fourth Of July...
A rather amusing history lesson... though American history isn't actually something taught in the UK, so I have no idea how accurate a portrayal it is!
LOL haven't seen that one since I was ten. It's part of something called Schoolhouse Rock, educational shorts that they'd show Saturday mornings between cartoons. This one's ok, if not oversimplified for such a big event (it's a little-known fact that the high five was invented during the American Revolution apparently!); the best was Conjunction Junction - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TQByv_xkuc as wel as I'm just a Bill on Capitol Hill - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ Nice find!
We used to watch School House Rock on rainy days at school. Conjunction Junction was my favorite along with I'm Just a Bill. On my latest visit back to the States I bought the whole collection for my son, but he is of a different generation and cultural context and just does not get the brilliance!
Brilliant what a way to educate kids, can you imagine something like this being shown in between our TV adverts. Somebody would scream discrimination and destroy the ITN building. No wonder the Americans are so patriotic.
Well, actually, it's not *too* far off the mark. Betsy Ross didn't design that flag until 1776. [A committee consisting of George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross (her husband's uncle) entrusted her with the task. So that flag with the 13 stars in the circle is depicted a little early.
Also I know the Longfellow poem is where that line "the British are coming" is from. HOWEVEr, at the time, it would have been more likely that something was said like "the regulars are marching." Because the inhabitants would have been largely British subjects themselves. So the line doesn't make sense, historically.
Also Washington didn't have charge of the Continental Army until after Bunker Hill. The refrain of the song seems to imply the flag and Washington being in charge was before Bunker Hill, not after.
But other than that...it's pretty good! Oh, and on the boat going from the Pennsylvania shore to the Jersey shore the cartoonist depicts the ship traveling East to West -- when it should be the other way around![Washington's Crossing -- Battle of Trenton] (a REALLY pivotal point in our history -- Washington's army was really on the ropes when that occurred.)
Also I think the French help was largely due to the fact that they hated the English. Any port in a storm, I suppose. Came in handy in bottling up Cornwalis.
Oh, no one knows who fired that first shot. Conflicting reports. But the reason the regulars were on the march was to tried to seize the arms at Lexington and Concord. [The British regulars WERE chased all the way back into Boston. There was a long fight all the way back. Not only Paul Rever gave the alarm, but two others -- and the men did muster rather quickly!)
Also it was technically "Breed's Hill" but the battle has always been called "The battle of Bunker Hill."
LOL haven't seen that one since I was ten. It's part of something called Schoolhouse Rock, educational shorts that they'd show Saturday mornings between cartoons. This one's ok, if not oversimplified for such a big event (it's a little-known fact that the high five was invented during the American Revolution apparently!); the best was Conjunction Junction - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TQByv_xkuc as wel as I'm just a Bill on Capitol Hill - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ
ReplyDeleteNice find!
Not terribly accurate, no - but it is morally on message.
ReplyDeleteI wish they still did things like this.
Best,
LD
We used to watch School House Rock on rainy days at school. Conjunction Junction was my favorite along with I'm Just a Bill. On my latest visit back to the States I bought the whole collection for my son, but he is of a different generation and cultural context and just does not get the brilliance!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mac for posting a bit of nostalgia.
Pax Christi,
Marnie
Barcelona, Spain
Brilliant what a way to educate kids, can you imagine something like this being shown in between our TV adverts. Somebody would scream discrimination and destroy the ITN building. No wonder the Americans are so patriotic.
ReplyDeleteWell, actually, it's not *too* far off the mark. Betsy Ross didn't design that flag until 1776. [A committee consisting of George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross (her husband's uncle) entrusted her with the task. So that flag with the 13 stars in the circle is depicted a little early.
ReplyDeleteAlso I know the Longfellow poem is where that line "the British are coming" is from. HOWEVEr, at the time, it would have been more likely that something was said like "the regulars are marching." Because the inhabitants would have been largely British subjects themselves. So the line doesn't make sense, historically.
Also Washington didn't have charge of the Continental Army until after Bunker Hill. The refrain of the song seems to imply the flag and Washington being in charge was before Bunker Hill, not after.
But other than that...it's pretty good! Oh, and on the boat going from the Pennsylvania shore to the Jersey shore the cartoonist depicts the ship traveling East to West -- when it should be the other way around![Washington's Crossing -- Battle of Trenton] (a REALLY pivotal point in our history -- Washington's army was really on the ropes when that occurred.)
Also I think the French help was largely due to the fact that they hated the English. Any port in a storm, I suppose. Came in handy in bottling up Cornwalis.
Oh, no one knows who fired that first shot. Conflicting reports. But the reason the regulars were on the march was to tried to seize the arms at Lexington and Concord. [The British regulars WERE chased all the way back into Boston. There was a long fight all the way back. Not only Paul Rever gave the alarm, but two others -- and the men did muster rather quickly!)
ReplyDeleteAlso it was technically "Breed's Hill" but the battle has always been called "The battle of Bunker Hill."
Uhhhh... Karen...? It was a rhetorical question...
ReplyDeleteROTFLMHO
(seriously, thanks for the info...)